Champions crowned at Elkins Raceway

(Kerens, W.V. 8-17-13) A strange thing happened on the way to the Championship’s Friday night. Mother Nature had stopped racing at Elkins Raceway seven times this year, but this week a whole new problem arose. On Miller’s Used Cars Championship night, just as the Darren’s Pizza Shack Mini Wedges were to take the track, a tractor trailer struck a light pole nearby cutting off the electric at the 3/8 mile oval. Running heats until sunset, racing was halted for an hour until power was restored. When the lights came on the action heated up on the track. Special thanks to the Electric Company crews/ Fire Departments for quickly restoring power. AND the fans for their patience!

The Jenkins Ford Super Late Models had the best race of the season as fans were on the edge of their seats. After taking their respective heats, Robbie Scott and Cody Hardesty raged a war for the eventual win. Hardesty held the advantage as Scott could get his nose to the door panel but no further. With three yellows slowing the battle, Scott continued to hound Hardesty lap after lap. Hardesty driving the Runnerup Properties / New England Truss and Joist #53 held his line and fended off the veteran to capture his first win at the Kerens facility. Scott had to settle for second. Shane Hitt, Billy Holbert and Bob Gordon would complete the top five. Tim Senic in his Roy’s RV Super Center / Schaeffer’s Racing Oil ‪#‎S2‬, exploded a right rear tire on lap 18. But he was able to change the tire and finish ninth. That would be enough to add his fourth track Championship.

Tracie Sampson jumped to the lead in the Budweiser FASTRAK finale with Michael Lake hot on his tail. The “Root” held the young gun at bay for the first half of the event. On lap 11, Lake drove into turns three and four a little to hot and looped his mount. Sampson in the S & S Rebuilds #12 would then drive on for his first win since 2007. Corey Metheny and Kyle Thomas were second and third. Lake climbed back to fourth. Chad Green passed two cars on the final circuit to cross in fifth. Kris Southern piloting his W.V Fan Zone / Local 400 UFCW ‪#‎K2‬ finished seventh, and would also collect his second track crown. His first came in 2011.

In the Fast ‘N Friendly Pharmacy Modifieds on the second try at green, Mike Murphy snared the front spot. Randy Bohan began to apply heavy pressure to Murphy in the beginning stages of the feature. Eighth starting Brent Trimble began to work his way to the front with Murphy still in command and Vic Vandergrift now running second. After a restart, Murphy, Vandergrift and Trimble were three wide for the lead. With six go rounds to go Trimble driving the H & R Block / Stutler Racing Engines ‪#‎1B‬ grabbed the spot and drove away for his seventh checkerboard of the year. With the win the “Hillbilly Hustler” put and exclamation point on his second consecutive track title. Murphy, Vandergrift, Robert Smith and Nick Wilson filled out the top five.

Samantha Rogers was in command at the outset of the Miller’s Used Cars Street Stock feature. But on lap three Brian Mitchell made a successful bid for the spot. Scott Bittinger got by Rogers and began to apply some heat to Mitchell. With the laps clicking off slowly due to yellows, Mitchell and Bittinger ran door to door with two to go. Bittinger had handling problems and dropped in the order freeing Mitchell for the win. With Pap’s Speed Shop / Liberty Machine on the side of his ‪#‎M1‬, it was Mitchell’s third trip to victory circle. J P Tallman, Rogers, James Nelson, and Kevin Dotson followed Mitchell across the line. James Nelson needs to thank Scott Bittinger, because had it not been for the advance to fourth place for Nelson, Tallman would of been named Champion. But in the end, Nelson’s #22 with help from Home Rescue / S & S Enterprises, edged Tallman by a mere one point.

The Good Samaritan of Barbour County Mod Lites, were again racing for extra winning moneys as Stewart Sanitation footed the $500 to win bill. Matt Cain was the first driver to be placed in the first spot, but he had a pair Knepper’s nipping at his heals. The father and son team (Lynn and Alan) chased and caught the Ohio driver, and made it a Knepper one and two show. When the checkers fell, Lynn in his Evolution Race Car / Knepper ATV #21, beat his son Alan for his second big check of the season. Jeff Fornash, Mitch Ward, and Cain were third through fifth. The Hitt Enterprises / Ward Welding & Fab #862 of Mitch Ward would lay claim to the inaugural Mod Lite track Champion.

With eight out of eleven feature wins in the Darren’s Pizza Shack Mini Wedges, Logan Hitt in the Leggett Motorsports / TKS Contracting #2* dominated the class for his second straight title. Jackson Jacobs (had one of the other three wins) chased Hitt but settled for second. Hayden Jacobs, Abby Watson, and Braydon Beachler were third through fifth. The remaining two wins were Kaitlyn Frazier who had mechanical problems and finished fourteenth.

Coming this week will be the 25th annual R H Armstrong Memorial. $4,000 goes to the winner of the Topless 40 race for the Jenkins Ford Super Late Models. Jared Hawkins captured the first topless edition last year. It was actually Hawkins’ third consecutive and fourth overall Armstrong win. (2007,10,11,12) Other previous winners include; 1989 (twin features) Tim Hitt / Charlie Swartz. 1990,91 Denny Chamberlain. 1992 Frank Wilson. 1993 Butch McGill. 1994 Tim Hitt (2). 1995, 96 Dave Groves. 1997 Not ran. 1998 Tim Hitt (3). 1999, 00 Gary Dalton. 2001 Chuck Harper. 2002 Mike Benedum. 2003 Butch McGill (2). 2004 Robbie Blair. 2005 Steve Casebolt Jr. 2006 Mike Balzano. 2007 Jared Hawkins. 2008 Chuck Harper (2). 2009 Gary Dalton (3). 2010, 11, 12 Jared Hawkins (2,3,4).

Also on the card will be the Budweiser FASTRAK Late Models racing roofless for $1,000 to win. It is only the second time the crate Late Models have ran topless at the 3/8 mile oval. Daniel Hill was the winner in 2012.

The Fast ‘N Friendly Pharmacy Modifieds, Miller’s Used Cars Street Stocks, and the Good Samaritan of Barbour County Mod Lites will also race for $1,000 to the winner.

*** Based on 15 cars per class. Less than 15 cars will revert to regular payout.***

PLUS a huge fireworks extravaganza! So bring your lawn chairs, friends, neighbors and come see and feel Thunder In the Valley!

Super Late Models (12); Cody Hardesty, Robbie Scott, Shane Hitt, Billy Holbert, Bob Gordon, Charlie George, Butch McGill, Chuck Harper, Tim Senic, Stubble, Tracy Cooper, Shaun Poling. Heats; Scott, Hardesty.

FASTRAK (19); Tracie Sampson, Corey Metheny, Kyle Thomas, Michael Lake, Chad Green, Joey Jenkins, Kris Southern, Kevin Keene, Ron Wiles, Matt Lopez, Mike Thorne, Derrick Shaw, Duane Moreland, Greg Hicks, Troy Frazier, Brian Rankin, Tyler Stutler, Aldon Butcher. DNS; Louie Krushansky. Heats; Southern, Sampson, Hicks.

Modifieds (14); Brent Trimble, Mike Murphy, Vic Vandergrift, Robert Smith, Nick Wilson, Randy Bohan, Bill Vandevender, Larry Atha, Keith Miller, Kenny Harris, Matthew Chenoweth, Bryson Sanders, Phil Jeffries. DNS; Shawn Davis. Heats; Murphy, Trimble.

Street Stocks (21); Brian Mitchell, J P Tallman, Samantha Rogers, James Nelson, Kevin Dotson, Rick Knicley, Ronnie Tincher, Scott Bittinger, Dusty Swecker, Dickie Tharp, Brian Youtzy, Ryan Watson, Kenny Rowback, Jacob Taylor, Jim Byers, Jamie Keene, Rick Isner, Teresa Vaughn, Ricky Vest, Dustin Isner, Johnny Singleton. Heats; Byers, Bittinger, Rogers.

Mod Lites (14); Lynn Knepper, Alan Knepper, Jeff Fornash, Mitch Ward, Matt Cain, Ron Harris, Trey Watson, A J Spagnuolo, Elliot Newlon, Garry Harris, Matt Ward, Beau Newlon, Don Cain. DNS; Ryan Harris. Heats; M. Cain, A. Knepper.

Mini Wedges (14); Shane Hitt, Jackson Jacobs, Hayden Jacobs, Abby Watson, Braydon Beachler, Paige Bragg, Cody Tate, Austin Simmons, Ryan Gum, Skylar Moats, Olivia Ferguson, Brett Coberly, Jamie Tate, Kaitlyn Frazier. Heats; J. Jacobs, Hitt.